A love letter to Italy at its best and a snazzy charmer of a book through and through.
Get ready to embark on an enchanting trip through Bella Città (Beautiful City).
The splendors of Italy are on full display as dapper shrew Piccolo decides to enjoy a day dedicated to visiting his favorite places. An initial trip to Miss Dolce’s Gelateria is interrupted, however, when he hears cries for help from his vulpine pal, Mr. Rosso. The fox needs to move his painting to the museum, and since the institution is on Piccolo’s list of places to visit, he’s more than happy to assist. What follows is a series of sequences in which Piccolo aids friends and neighbors, visiting a fountain, the ancient ruins, a theater, and a garden along the way. A more fervent picture-book tribute to Italy may not exist. Yaccarino’s bold artwork makes excellent use of texture and shading; small joys abound, too, as in the clever references to famous artworks found in the book’s art museum (note The Vitruvian Man depicted as an octopus). Italian words appear throughout; translations are included at the book’s end, though some might take issue with gelato being equated with ice cream, as the two are made differently. Even so, this paean to Italian lands, culture, and food is a perfect read for anyone planning a trip there or for those who simply wish to read their children a tale soaked in the sights and sounds of the country.
A love letter to Italy at its best and a snazzy charmer of a book through and through. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9780316574563
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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